256 AN EARLY DUTCH ACCOUNT OF INDIA
cause of their promise, and that he will not reckon the
evil end of a sinful life to their punishment. They
say that Wistnou will never abandon those whom he
hath accepted in his love; and they add hereto that
no father can kill his child that goeth astray; that man
cannot live without sin; and that it is therefore im-
possible that Wistnou, having accepted any one, should
again abandon him. There are, moreover, many other
things wherein these Ramanouja differ from the Tad-
wadi Weistnouwa.
These Ramanouja Weistnouwa may not cover their
heads with any covering, as the other Bramines do, but
go bareheaded. Their hair is cut short, except a tuft
on the crown of their head, which hangeth down behind
and hath a knot tied in it. Nevertheless, the chief of
this sect, who hath his residence in Cansjewaram (Con-
jevaram), a very great city in the kingdom of Carnatica
(the Karnatic), and therefore is a man of honour and
regard, hath the pre-eminence over his fellows in that
he may have a covering on his head; yet not always
hath he such a covering, but whensoever he standeth
to speak with any.
The Ramanouja say that their sect is better than
the Tadwadi, and therefore they say that they may not
meddle in any mercature, and also that they go not into
bawdy houses, else might it hap to any one of them
to be bitterly and severely punished by their chief for
this sin. Nor is it permitted the Tadwadi to go into
such houses, yet even if they do it, yet are they neither
reproved nor punished, as is the case among the Ra-
